Acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner Tim Godwin singled out the English Defence League and the British National Party as two organisations who might exploit the situation.

His warning comes amid intelligence that the EDL has successfully infiltrated vigilante groups in Enfield, North London – scene of some of the worst mindless violence and criminality on Sunday night – and Eltham in South East London.

Police warn the potential for this to 'fuel the flames' of an already fraught situation by adding a 'violent racial element' is 'enormous and worrying.'

Residents claimed some English Defence League supporters were involved in organising vigilante patrols of young white men under the name Enfield Defence League on Tuesday night.

They split into three 30-strong groups in contact by mobile telephone and BlackBerry to patrol the streets. Read More